Salt shaker with desiccant holder suspended between cap and container



March 11, 1952 J YOUNG 2,588,600

SALT SHAKER WITH DESICCANT HOLDER SUSPENDED BETWEEN CAP AND CONTAINER Filed Nov. 10, 1948 02 2 a 0 0 0 oofl b 0 3 IN VEN TOR.

ATrORNEV Patented Mar. 11, 1952 SALT SHAKER WITH DESICCANT HOLDER SUSPENDED BETWEEN CAP AND CON- TAINER James H. Young, Mount Lebanon, Pa.

Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,216

8 Claims. i

This invention relates to a dispensing container and more particularly to a salt shaker.

In general, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved dispensing container for holding a hygroscopic commodity such as salt and for maintaining and conditioning the atmosphere within the container so that the commodity may be dispensed in a freely flowing condition for relatively long periods of time, particularly when the container is used under atmospheric conditions of high humidity.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel salt shaker which is capable of freely dispensing salt in an efiicient manner over long periods of time without attention, particularly when the shaker is subjected to atmospheric conditions of high humidity or when wet salt is used to fill the salt shaker.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel dispensing container for holding a hygroscopic commodity such as salt embodying a novel desiccant which can be readily revived after having become saturated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel dispensing container for the purpose specified, embodying a desiccant capable of visually indicating its approach to a saturated condition.

With these general objects in view, the invention consists in the dispensing container, and particularly in the salt shaker hereinafter described, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of salt shaker embodying the invention; 2 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the preferred form of valve, valve seat and, associated parts; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation with parts broken away with one of the glass rods forming thetransparent body portion of the container for holding the desiccant shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of desiccant container for use in the present shaker; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating other modifications of the desiccant container which may be used in the salt shaker forming the subject matter of the present invention. Y 1

, In general the invention contemplates a dis.-

pensing container for salt and other hygroscopic commodities in which the commodity is maintained in the container in a freelyflowing condition for relatively long periods of time even when the container is used under atmospheric conditions of high humidity, and even when wet salt is used to fill the container. As far as I am aware, a salt shaker capable of these accomplishments is not commercially available.

It is recognized that heretofore attempts have been made to solve this problem, and that these attempts may be resolved into two general classes of dispensing containers; One class may be described as a container provided with a continuously open dispensing orifice in the top thereof and having a desiccant designed to absorb moisture from the commodity and from the air within the container in contact therewith. In practice, this class of dispensing container has proven to have little utility because of the fact that as the desiccant withdraws moisture from the air within the container, a continuous flow of moisture occurs from the outside atmosphere into the body of air from which the moisture is thus being drawn by the desiccant, and as a result action of the desiccant is exerted upon the inexhaustible supply of humidity in the air outside of the container, the action being similar in efiect to attempting to dry by the use of a limited quantity of a desiccant an extremely large body of humid air. It will therefore, be seen that in this type of container the desiccant soon becomes exhausted and the salt or other commodity within the container rapidly becomes moist and non-freely flowing. The other attempt to solve the problem has been to provide a dispensing orifice of a container with an automatic valve for closing the orifice except when the salt was being dispensed. While this had slight effect in extending the utility of the dispensing container under humid atmospheric conditions, experience has demonstrated that the influx of humidity during the periods of dispensing was sufiicient to enable the impurities in the salt to absorb enough moisture to wet the particles of the salt producing a soggy condition and clogging the dispensing orifice, or orifices.

The present invention contemplates a dispensing container for salt and other hygroscopic commodities wherein the body of air within the container is maintained during normal use of the dispensing container over relatively long periods or time in a substantially dehydrated condition. or at least dehydrated below the critical point above which the salt or other commodities will become moist and non-freely flowing. The in vention further contemplates a salt shaker of the character described, which in addition is capable of converting salt too moist for ready dispensing into salt dry enough to be capable of flowing freely.

In the preferred and illustrated embodiments of the invention the salt shaker includes a body portion open at oneend thereof, and a closure portion closing the open end of the body portion comprising preferably a removable cap, which is secured preferably by being screwed upon threads in the upper end of the body portion. Provision is made for sealing the removable closure in air tight relation to the body portion when the closure is in operative position. The container is further provided with a cartridge for holding a desiccant supported upon the upperend of the body portion and extending therein through the open upper end thereof. The container ispreferably operatively secured to the body portion by a portion of the closure member. The desiccant container may take various forms as will be hereinafter described. In order to provide a satisfactory closure for the dispensing orifice in the closure member a gravity operating spherically surfaced valve is arranged to cooperate with a valve seat surrounding the dispensing orifice, the seat providing a line contact between it and the spherical under surface of the valve.

Referring now to the drawing which'illustrates the invention as embodied in a salt shaker for household use, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, represents the body portion of the container, which may be made of any corrosion resisting material, but which is preferably of glass, and of a size designed to hold any usual or preferred amount of salt. Preferably the container I0 is generally of a barrel type, and the upper end l2 of the container is provided with an opening [4 formed by a threaded upstandin neck portion l5 molded integrally with the barrel shape body portion and providing an annular shoulder 16 between the lateral surface of the main portion of the body portion and the threaded neck I5. The body portion has supported therein a novel desiccant container l8 for holding a substantial quantity of an emcient desiccant 20 preferably silica gel or other known desiccant. The upper end of the container is closed by a cap member 22 preferably of Monel metal, stainless steel or of chrome plated metal, of a shape to conform to the contour of the general barrel shape of the body portion of the container. The cap member has secured therein a threaded cylindrical chrome plated metal member 24 provided withv an annular top flange 26 and having the lower end thereof provided with an outwardly extended bottom flange 28 soldered to the interior of the cap member, as illustrated in Fig; 1. The cap member forms an air tight closure for the body portion of the container by means of a gasket 29 ofrubber or other resilient material disposed upon the annular shoulder N5 of' the body portion in a position to be enaged by the outwardly extended bottom flange 28 of the cap member as shown in Fig.' 1. Preferably, the lower end of the cap member projects. downwardly beyond the flange 28 to in ef fect conceal the gasket 30.

The novel desiccant container [8' is mounted to be removably suspended within the body of the container and in the form illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a cup shaped metal upper member 30 of Monel metal, stainless steel or chrome plated metal, provided at its upper end with, an outw'ardly extended flange 32 adapted to rest. upon the'upper end of the threaded neck l5 of the container and to be maintained in operative position by engagement therewith of the upper flange 26 of the cap member when the cap is in operative position. The cup shaped upper member is of a size with respect to the opening in the upper end of the body portion of the container so as to provide a substantial annular space 34 between it and the interior of the neck portion I5 in order to permit the salt during the shaking operation to pass into said annular space and thence through holes 35 in the lateral surface of the cup shaped member 30 in order to permit the salt to pass outwardly through the dispensing orifice 36 in the cap member. The bottom of the cup shaped upper member of the container I8 is shaped to provide an annular groove 40 .in the underside thereof into which the upper ends of rod-like members 42 are disposed forming the lateral walls of the container. The lower end of the container I8 is formed by a chrome plated metal member provided with a similar annular groove 52 in its upper surface for the reception of the lower ends of the rodlike members 42. All of the rod-like members 42 with the exception of three, are provided with enlarged upper and lower ends 44 which function when the rods are assembled to constitute the lateral wall of the container to space one rod from the next adjacent, so as to provide spaces for permitting the passage and circulation'of air from the interior of the shaker into the interior of the desiccant container I8, in order to efficiently dry the air within the body portion of the container. The upper and lower members 30, 50 of the container I8 are secured together by three equally spaced metal retaining rods 55 of stainless steel, Monel metal or of chrome plated metal, riveted or otherwise secured to the bottoms of the grooves of the respective members.

In Figs. 5, 7, 8 and 9, I have disclosed alternate constructions of desiccant containers embodying the invention. In Fig. 5 the lateral surface of the container I8 is formed by individual rings preferably of glass or similar transparent material and the adjacent rings are preferably spaced apart slightly to provide air passages by projecting portions 62' on the rings as illustrated in Fig. 5. The top and bottom of the container are formed by metal members similar to the corresponding members of Fig. 1, and which arosecured together by rods 6! riveted to said to'pan'd bottom members and arranged to be disposed within the superimposed series of rings as illustrated in Figs; 5 and 6. In Fig. '7, I have illustrated a desiccant container wherein the cylindrical lateral surface of the container i formed by a perforate metal sheet member soldered or otherwise secured to the top of the container'as shown, and secured to the bottom by having the lower end of'the perforate metal cylinder clamped within a lip portion 61' and soldered thereto. In Fig. 8, I have illustrated still another modification of the container l8 wherein the cylindrical body portion is formed by a wire mesh 10, the construction being otherwise similar to that shown in Fig. '7. In Fig. 9, I have illustrated still another modification of the desiccant container wherein the cylindrical surface of the container is formed by a helical shaped glass rod 12 retained with its upper and lower convolution within annular grooves in the top and bottom members of the container 1 8 and having a centrally disposed retaining rod 14 riveted to the top and bottom members to secure the parts together All of the illustrated structures lend themselves to the economical production of a desiccant container while affording sufiicient visibility for the enclosed desiccant to enable the color of the desiccant to be observed in order to determine when the desiccant should be revivified.

The cap member 22 is provided with a dispensing orifice 80 therein. The dispensing orifice comprises preferably a circular opening formed by a raised thin lip, preferably rounded and with which a gravity operated valve 84 cooperates. The valve 84 is provided with a spherical under surface 86 which is adapted to seat with line contact upon the thin lip of the dispensing orifice in various angular positions. The center of gravity of the valve 84 is relatively low and effects the return of the valve to seating position when the salt shaker is returned to its upright vertical position. The stop member 83 having two arms adapted to engage the inner-surface of the top of the cap serves to limit the amount that the valve can open. During the dispensing operation when the container is inverted, the valve opens, permitting salt to be shaken from the orifice, the valve being limited in its opening movement by the engagement of the arms of the stop member with the inside of the cap, as above described.

While various desiccants may be used, it is preferred to employ silica gel treated with a cobalt salt to impart to the gel the ability to change from blue to pink when the gel becomes hydrated and the container needs revivification.

In order to revivify the desiccant the entire desiccant container may be removed from the shaker by unscrewing the cap and lifting the container outwardly through the mouth of the shaker and then placing the same in an oven such as the ordinary gas oven and heating it at around 300 F. for a period of approximately one-half an hour.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed. is:

1. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition comprising a container open at one end, a desiccant holder suspended within the body of the container, a cap member closing the open upper end of the container in air tight relation, said cap member having a portion engageable with said desiccant holder for retaining it in operative position when the cap is secured upon the container, said desiccant holder comprising a short open top cylindrical member having a flange at its upper end and provided with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated dessicant holding portion depending from said cylindrical member and adapted to extend well down into the body of the container, said elongated portion having the lateral walls thereof provided with a large number of air passages for permitting circulation of the air from the container into the desiccant holder, said cap member being provided with a dispensing orifice and a valve normally closing the same when the container is in an upright position and being capable of automatically opening when the container is inverted.

2. A salt shaker adapted. to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition comprising a container 6 i open at one end, a desiccant holder suspended within the body of the container, a cap member closing the open upper end of the container in air tight relation, said cap member provided with a gravity operated dispensing valve having a portion engageable with said desiccant holder for retaining it in operative position when the can is secured upon the container, said desiccant holder comprising an elongated container formed by a cup shaped upper member provided with a flange adapted to rest upon the walls of the body of the shaker surrounding the open upper end thereof to enable suspension of the desiccant container within the body of the shaker, a bottom member and an interposed member constituting the lateral wall of the container, provided with a large number of small openings atfording air access to within said desiccant holder.

3. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition, comprising a container having an opening in the upper end thereof, a

desiccant holder operatively suspended in, the

shaker insertible into the body of the container through the open upperend thereof, said desiccant holder comprising a short open top cylindrical member havinga flange at its upper end and provided with, relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant hold-, ing portion depending from said cylindrical member and adapted to extend well down into the body of the container, a hollow cap member re movably closing the open end of the container, and having a circular dispensing orifice pro: vided with a raised thin lip, and an automatic gravity operated dispensing valve having a $131161? ical under surface seating upon said lip with line contact, said valve having a depending portion within the cap for preventing displacement of the valve from the cap when the shaker-.is, inverted.

4. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition, comprising a container having the upper portion thereof open and of smaller diameter than the main body of the 9011-, tainer and threaded for the reception of a'cap, a threaded metal member within the cap and secured thereto for engaging the threaded neck portion, a gasket surrounding said neck portion and adapted to be concealed by the cap when the latter is in operative position, a desiccant holder suspended within the container and engaged by the cap, said desiccant holder comprising a short open top cylindrical member having a flange at its upper end and provided with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant holding portion depending from said cylindrical member and adapted to extend well down into the body of the container, said cap being provided with an automatic dispensing valve.

5. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in v a freely flowing condition, comprising a container having an opening in the upper end thereof, a desiccant holder operatively suspended in the shaker, and comprising a short open top cylindrical member having a flange at its upper end and provided with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant holding portion depending from said cylindrical member and adapted to extend well down into the body'of the container, a hollow'cap member removably closing the open end of the container, and having a circular dispensing orifice "provided with a raised thin'lip, and an automatic gravityoperated dispensing valvehaving aspherical under surface seating upon said lip with line contact, said valve having a depending'portion within the cap for preventing displacement of the valve from the cap when the shaker'ls inverted.

6. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition comprising a container open at one end, a desiccant holder suspended within the body of the container, a cap member closing the open upper end of the container in air-tight relation and provided with a salt-dispensing opening and a gravity operated valve for closing the same, said cap member having a portion engageable with said desiccant holder for retaining it in operative position when the cap is secured upon the container; said desiccant holder comprising a'short open-top cylindrical member having a flange at its upper end and provided with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant holding body :portion'provided with a top and a bottom and having the lateral wall thereof formed by a plurality of glass members spaced slightly apart to provide air passages therebetween, and means for securing said lateral wall in operative relation to the top and bottom members.

7. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition comprising a container 35- open at one end, a desiccant holder suspended within the body of the container, a cap member closing the open upper end of the container in air-tight relation and provided with a salt-dis pensing opening and a gravity operated valve for closing the same, said cap member having a portion engageable with said desiccant holder for retaining it in operative position when the cap is secured upon the container, said desiccant holder comprising a short open-top cylindrical member having a flange at its upper'end and provided with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container into said cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant holding body 50 portion having top'and bottom members, and "a lateral wall composed of a plurality of vertically arranged slightly spaced glass rodsoperatively secured to said top and bottom members.

8. A salt shaker adapted to maintain salt in a freely flowing condition comprising a container open at one end, a desiccant holder suspended Within the body of the container, a cap member closing the open upper end of the container in air-tight relation and provided with a salt-dis- 1 pensing opening and a .gravityoperated valve for closingthe same, said cap member having a portion engageable with said desiccant holder for retaining it 'in operative position when the cap is secured upon the container, said desiccant holder comprisinga short open-top cylindrical member havinga flange at its upper end andprovide'd with relatively large openings in the lateral portion thereof for the passage of salt from within the container intovsaicl cylindrical member, and an elongated desiccant holding body portion having top and bottom members and.having its lateral walls formed by a one-piece heli: cal glass member with adjacent convolutions spaced slightly apartoperativelysecured to said top and bottom members.

JAMES H. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in vthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 822,638 Vester June 5, 1906 871,803 Kendall Nov. 26, 1907 985,955 Van Riper Mar. 7, 1911 1,265,607 Carlisle May 7, 1918 1,628,106 -Botty May 10, 1927 1,742,320 Reiner Jan. 7, 1930 2,086,073 Franchescon July 6, 1937 2,159,171 McCorkhill May 23, 1939 2,160,602 Nagel .May 30, 1939 2,200,755 McArthur May 14, 1940 2,205,040 Kasin June 18, 1940 2,293,082 Strickland Aug. 18,1942 2,317,882 Boesel Apr. 27, 1943 2,492,830 Bannister Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 'Date 455,892 Germany Feb. 11, I928 

